Retro STrife wrote:Barring some unforeseen event, I don't think Hollow Knight will replace Castlevania SOTN as my favorite Metroidvania, but it's been a really good game so far and I'm glad everyone here mentioned it.
Hard to beat a Koji Igarashi metroidvania. Something about the soundtracks as well that stirs the emotions. He used Michiru Yamane in several titles (she created the outstanding soundtrack to Bloodlines along with Symphony, Aria of Sorrow, and Bloodstained). Hollow Knight features nothing memorable in the sound department, the game may as well be silent. A few dulcet tones hardly stir the emotions, it is just background ambiance. When I turned on Bloodstained Ritual of the Night, the first thing that hit me like a sledgehammer was the opening track. These little details are what make or break it for me, Hollow Knight is a good game but has nothing memorable to make it great. Even though I would be resistant to the concept of playing Symphony of the Night again, all you would need to do is play one or two tracks from that game and I would immediately acknowledge it as one of the greatest games ever made.